The initial plan for my 2013 garden. Edited 1/9/13

[Kaleva]

Last edited Wed Jan 9, 2013, 10:53 AM - Edit history (2)

Got my first seed catalog in the mail recently and I've been excited about what to get. Have a few areas worked up last year already but only had a vague idea about what to plant and where to plant them.

The areas I have worked up are as follows:

(A) 2'X24 plot on south side of the garage wall. Gets full sun from morning till sunset.

(B) 1'X9' plot on east side of garage wall. Gets part sun from morning till very early afternoon.

(C) 3'X8 plot. Gets part sun from morning till very early afternoon.

(D) 3'X8' plot. Gets part sun from morning till very early afternoon.

(E) 2'X13' plot. Gets full sun from noon till sunset.

(F) 2'X14' plot. Gets full sun from noon till sunset.

Spent a good part of the day looking over blogs and website covering the square foot gardening method and at the seed catalog and this is what I've come up with so far (subject to revision):

(A) will be planted with 6 Beefsteak tomato plants with red onions planted in between. There is a 9" overhang from the garage roof which I'll run wire up to to train the tomato plants to climb.

(B) will be planted peas with the trellis being two 5'X160" mattress spring pads I salvaged

(C)will be planted with a combination of bush beans and radishes

(D) will be planted with a combination of beets and radishes

(E) & (F) will be planted with bush cucumbers for fresh eating and pickling

Notes:

(B) I have it marked on my calendar when to plant the peas so that I have an early and then later, a fall crops of peas.

(C) Will be divided into 6 1'X4' subplots so that I may succession plant radishes and bush beans. I have it marked on my calender when to plant what so that I have a continuous crop all growing season right up to first expected frost.

(D) Will be divided into 6 1'X4' subplots so that I may succession plant radishes and beets so I'll have a continuous crop all thru the growing season until first frost.

At my ex-wife's garden will be planted tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, red onions and green onions. There are already chives and strawberries planted there. At my former in-laws will be planted tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, cabbage (of which I'll make homemade sauerkraut) and peppers.

Edit: I have two other small plots worked up (about 2'X4' each) where I think I'll plant daylilies.

[RomneyLies]

1. .

[Curmudgeoness]

2. Seed catalogs in the middle of the winter...

what a wonderful start to the year. Sounds like you are wanting to get ready to be in the garden already. The plan sounds great.

[Kaleva]

3. That made my day when it arrived in the mail!

I know I'm old when this kind of thing gets me excited.

[LWolf]

4. Nice.

I'd just like to be able to plant SOMETHING this year. I spend all my time chasing down 6 acres of noxious weeds; I never have time or energy left to plant things on purpose.

Any suggestions for:

cheat grass
mustard
the dreaded perennial pepperweed?

[Kaleva]

5. Got my order in!

Gurney's is offering a $25 coupon with orders over $50 ($50 coupon for orders over $100) and as I revised my garden plan, I was able to take advantage of the $25 coupon which paid for the S & H and 3 of the tomato plants.

This is what I ordered:

6 Beefsteak tomato plants
1 pkt Lincoln shell pea seeds
1 pkt Bush Pickle cucumber seeds
1 pkt Perfected Detroit beet seeds
2 pkts Champion radish seeds
2 pkts Blue Lake bush bean seeds
2 pints Red onion sets

If everything goes right, I ought to be well stocked with pickles, frozen peas and beans, onions, pickled beets, frozen tomatoes, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, ketchup and cucumber pickle relish.

[pecwae]

7. Hope you have better luck

with Gurney's plants than I did. Last year the seeds arrived fine, but I had to request replacement tomato plants twice. Both times the plants were DOA due to sloppy packaging. I finally asked them to just send me a perennial flower instead. They were very cooperative.

[Kaleva]

9. Tomato plants arrived in good shape

There was still snow on the ground when they arrived and as I don't plan on planting them outdoors till mid June, when all danger of frost as past, I transplanted them to a larger pot filled with potting soil and they are doing fine.

They have actually grown quite a bit since I got and transplanted them.

[pecwae]

10. I'm glad to hear that.

My tomatoes have been in the ground for 3 weeks, but with unseasonably cool weather haven't grown much. Over the weekend at the Farmer's Market in Raleigh I heard that some crops are 3 weeks behind. You did the right thing by potting them up. I gained nothing by setting mine so early.

[RILib]

8. Gurney's gak

They have a pretty bad reputation. Se ethe reviews on dave's garden.

[JDPriestly]

6. Oh! How lucky you are to have plots that measure 3 by 8.

I think I have one that is maybe 2 by 8, if that, and another maybe 2 by 6.

And the rest of my vegetables are in pots including a few pots in my front yard. Must be wonderful to have so much space to garden. Although it is probably easier on my back to garden in large pots.